Updated 11:05 a.m. CST

With all precincts reporting, Troy Nehls won the Republican primary for Fort Bend County Sheriff while Michael Ellison won the Democratic nomination unopposed. The candidates ran against one another for the office in 2012, and Nehls surpassed retired Fort Bend County patrol deputy Frank Cempa to be on the November ballot.

Nehls, running for his second four-year term, received 41,701 votes, or 77.9 percent of the electorate, and Cempa received 11,860 votes, or 22.1 percent, according to the Fort Bend County Elections and Voter Registration Office.

Ellison, received all 27,869 Democratic votes. The supervisor in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said he wants to establish “storefronts” around the Fort Bend County to make the sheriff’s office more accessible and ease the process for residents to file reports.

Updated 11:14 p.m. CST

With 138 of 152 precincts reporting, Troy Nehls is the projected winner of the Republican primary for Fort Bend County Sheriff while Michael Ellison won the Democratic nomination unopposed. The candidates ran against one another for the office in 2012, and Nehls surpassed retired Fort Bend County patrol deputy Frank Cempa to be on the November ballot.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Republican candidate, and current sheriff, Troy Nehls Fort Bend County Sheriff Republican candidate, and current sheriff, Troy Nehls[/caption]

Nehls, running for his second four-year term, received 37,775 votes, or 78.3 percent of the electorate, and Cempa received 10,466 votes, or 21.7 percent, according to the Fort Bend County Elections and Voter Registration Office.

"This is a testament to the hard work of the men and women of the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s office over the last three years," Nehls said. "I can proudly say that we are solving more crime in Fort Bend County than ever before."

Cempa ran with a "boots on the ground" platform to increase the number of officers out in the community.

Ellison, received all 20,029 Democratic votes. The supervisor in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said he wants to establish “storefronts” around the Fort Bend County to make the sheriff’s office more accessible and ease the process for residents to file reports.

In both primaries, most votes counted as of 11:14 p.m. were cast early. Fort Bend County Election Administrator John Oldham said early voting was higher than usual for primary elections.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Democratic candidate Michael Ellison Fort Bend County Sheriff Democratic candidate Michael Ellison[/caption]

The county reported 39,319 early votes cast, including 12,527 Democratic ballots and 26,792 Republican ballots. Oldham said the only higher turnout was the 2008 primary, when 48,710 early votes were cast in the county. By comparison, the 2012 primary saw 22,105 early votes cast.

All results were unofficial, as not all county voting precincts had completely reported. All results are unofficial until canvassed.

Posted 7:55 p.m. CST

Early voting results indicate Troy Nehls is leading the Republican primary for Fort Bend County Sheriff while Michael Ellison won the Democratic nomination unopposed. Troy Nehls is beating out retired Fort Bend County patrol deputy Frank Cempa to be on the November ballot.

Nehls, the incumbent, received 19,188 early votes, or 79.1 percent of the electorate, and Cempa received 5,068, or 20.9 percent, according to the Fort Bend County Elections and Voter Registration Office.

Ellison received all 10,897 early Democratic votes. As of 7:45 p.m., all results were unofficial, as no county voting precincts had completely reported.

Nehls is finishing his first four-year term as sheriff. He was elected to the post in 2012 after serving as constable for Precinct 4 for eight years.

Cempa is a retired patrol deputy for Fort Bend County and said he is running on a platform of more “boots on the ground” from patrols. He served in the sheriff’s office from 2003 to 2013 and with the Precinct 3 constable’s office from 2013 to 2015.

Nehls said he improved “fiscal mismanagement” in the sheriff’s office by consolidating the criminal investigation division, reducing staff and other expenditures. However, Democratic challenger Ellison said the office is mismanaged, understaffed, and officer morale is low.

Ellison, a supervisor in the Harris County Sheriff’s Office who ran for the Fort Bend County position in 2012, said he wants to establish “storefronts” around the Fort Bend County to make the sheriff’s office more accessible and ease the process for residents to file reports.

All results are unofficial until canvassed.